Hochul Strips Staff, Responsibilities and Electronic Devices From Her Lieutenant Governor Amid Speculation He Plans Run Against Her

New York Governor Hochul is taking staff, responsibilities, and state-issued electronic devices away from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado. This is after Mr. Delgado took a step that signaled he might launch a primary challenge to the governor ahead of 2026.Mr. Delgado, whose relationship with the governor has become increasingly rocky in recent months, announced last week that he would not run for reelection as lieutenant governor, a largely ceremonial office with minimal responsibilities.Ms. Hochul responded by shifting a few responsibilities away from Mr. Delgado. Politico reported that the governor’s office has started taking staff, office space, and executive chamber-issued electronic devices away from Mr. Delgado. However, he will keep his office near the Senate chamber and his constitutional function of president over the state Senate. A spokesperson for Ms. Hochul did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication. Mr. Delgado’s decision not to run for reelection has been perceived as a signal that he might seek to challenge the governor for the Democratic nomination in 2026. He was first elected to the role in 2022.His decision not to run again comes after he broke with Ms. Hochul and called for President Biden to end his reelection bid while the governor was supporting the president. Delgado also called for Mayor Adams to resign; Ms. Hochul has not, although she has taken steps to put more oversight on the mayor. The move also comes at a time when polls show that New Yorkers do not have a favorable view of the governor. A Siena College poll released earlier this month found that 39 percent of registered voters have a favorable view of Ms. Hochul, slightly lower than the 41 percent of registered voters in the state who have a favorable view of President Trump. After Mr. Delgado’s announcement that he would not seek reelection, the governor’s office released a harsh statement about the lieutenant governor.“Today, Antonio Delgado finally said out loud what has been obvious for quite some time: he is simply not interested in doing the job of lieutenant governor in the State of New York,” the statement read. “Governor Hochul had already begun taking steps to identify a new running mate for 2026. We will also be reallocating responsibilities within the administration to ensure that important initiatives that had been with the lieutenant governor’s office are no longer neglected.”Ms. Hochul told reporters on Tuesday that it was “clear” Mr. Delgado was “not happy being in the role of lieutenant governor.”Mr. Delgado’s announcement that he will not run for reelection has led to calls for him to resign. A former Democratic lieutenant governor, Robert Duffy, told WAMC he believes Mr. Delgado should consider stepping down since Ms. Hochul is taking away his staff and responsibilities. Otherwise, he will be “sitting there and being paid for the next almost two years, but having no real authority or jobs.”However, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Delgado signaled he does not want to quit as he said, “I love being out there with the people, being the voice that I can be for New Yorkers, connecting with folks all across the state in a real, meaningful way.”

Hochul Strips Staff, Responsibilities and Electronic Devices From Her Lieutenant Governor Amid Speculation He Plans Run Against Her

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